After a hospital photo was posted, Shaq's hip surgery was confirmed

20 March (Reuters) Shaquille O'Neal, a hall of famer and four-time NBA champion, shocked fans by releasing a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed. On Monday, broadcaster TNT confirmed that O'Neal had hip surgery.

The "Inside the NBA" commentator and 15-time All-Star will be out of the broadcast booth while he recovers, but on Sunday he sent out a message of support for his colleague's sportscasters Ernie Johnson and Candace Parker.

The 51-year-old tweeted "I'm always watching" along with a picture of himself dressed in a hospital gown. I miss you all.

Shaquille O'Neal's hospital photo causes concern among fans

What to look for: On Twitter alone, the photo of Shaq lying down in a hospital bed has been viewed 7.9 million times, and among those who responded, many expressed concern for his health.

What to look for: Shaq has missed his TV presenting responsibilities twice this month due to illness, albeit it is unknown what specifically caused him to become ill.

Shaq has missed his TV presenting responsibilities twice this month due to illness, albeit it is unknown what specifically caused him to become ill.